NOVEL NEXT Chapter 710
Chapter 00710: Dark Heaven Village
I had become increasingly curious about what had happened to Master Mangnyang during this time. So, I asked,
“Master Mangnyang, what has happened to you? No… wait.”
I shook my head and retrieved the obsidian from my wooden armor. It would be wise to first convey my experiences to Mangnyang through this obsidian. However, as soon as I took it out, Mangnyang waved his hand.
[ I am not summoned here in substance, so the sorcery of that obsidian is meaningless. Memories will not be transmitted.]
“Ah…”
[ Just tell me directly.]
“Understood. I…”
I recounted the events that had transpired since I arrived at Dark Heaven Village. It started with me suddenly jumping into the God’s disguise, then releasing the seal on Cheon Gong-pyo, engaging in battle with Asura in Dark Heaven Village, and finally meeting Empress Wu Zetian to discuss matters. I also mentioned how I offered a Water Element to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens and defeated the Eight Parts of the Divine, among other things.
Hearing my story calmly for nearly half a moment, Master Mangnyang nodded.
[ I see. In that case, it’s likely that after Asura was killed by Cheon Gong-pyo, the Eight Parts of the Divine launched an attack on the surface.]
“I think so too.”
[ … Now I feel like the pieces of the puzzle are fitting together.]
Muttering something to himself, Mangnyang continued.
[ Baek Woong, do you think you know why I went to the Underworld? Even at the cost of depleting our power during that critical battle in the Divine City.]
“Honestly, I have no idea.”
I really didn’t understand. I knew that Mangnyang was devising some plan in consultation with the Zhuge Sect, starting from our lodging in the southern continent, but they never shared specifics with me. Why did Mangnyang go to the Underworld?
Mangnyang raised three fingers.
[ There were three purposes.]
“Three?”
[ Yes. The first was to search for Yu Ji, whom you recently achieved a feat with. If we find her, there’s a high chance that Xiang Yu will become your ally in the future.]
“…But, that alone doesn’t justify the risk of challenging the Underworld…”
I trailed off.
Of course, finding Yu Ji would greatly aid me, but venturing into the Underworld seemed suspicious, especially with two overlay techniques deliberately blocking the path. It was extremely dangerous. Even if we pooled all our strength, taking on such a challenge could easily lead to our demise, and that reason alone didn’t seem sufficient for Mangnyang to risk his life.
[ Of course, that alone wasn’t enough to recklessly decide to challenge the Underworld. The other reason was to confirm the current situation in the Underworld and verify the existence of the King of Hell.]
“Is that important?”
I tilted my head.
According to Abe no Seimei, the position of the King of Hell was currently vacant, and the Department of Life and Death was being managed haphazardly by the Northern Dipper Star Lords, which seemed extremely dubious. However, that didn’t seem like enough reason to gamble with one’s life exploring the Underworld.
Mangnyang explained in response to my confusion.
[ It’s very important. This is because you must verify the cycle of reincarnation in this world to reach the truth about the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the impending doom. In a way, this information is something you needed to confirm before gaining great power.]
“…?”
[ Baek Woong. When a person dies, they go to the Underworld. So, what happens to them after they reach the Underworld?]
“Hmm…”
I pondered and replied,
“First of all, I understand that for 49 days, human souls are judged by the King of Hell, who then decides their fate. Their fate could be to be reincarnated with memories wiped or to be punished in the Underworld… or become inhabitants of the Celestial Realm or other worlds.”
[ Correct. I taught you that when I was teaching you Taoist sorcery knowledge. And that knowledge is a framework which, 99% of Daoist masters practicing sorcery in this world believe to be true.]
After taking a brief pause, Mangnyang continued.
[ However, after gaining insight from your past life and hearing what Abe no Seimei said, it may not be the case.]
“What do you mean it may not be?”
[ The typical domain an earthly sorcerer can explore is usually just the Purgatory in front of Hell, and those who manage to enter inside Hell as sorcerers have been exceedingly rare in history. Thus, the interior has been poorly understood until now, but…]
He hesitated for a moment and then said,
[ What if humans do not reincarnate at all?]
“…?!”
[ If the Celestial Realm has been deceiving humans all along.]
What does he mean by that?
I was taken aback and exclaimed,
“What are you saying?”
[ Literally speaking. As you know, five hundred years into the future, during the time of calamity, all souls in both the earthly realm and the Underworld will fall into the grasp of the [Old Ruler] and become food for him. However, if that premise is false, then what if humans do not receive judgement after death?]
“……”
[ If humans do not receive judgement in the Underworld, what do you think that situation would imply?]
“Wait, could it be?”
Mangnyang sighed heavily,
[ After checking myself, it turned out just as Abe no Seimei said… Not only has the King of Hell disappeared long ago, but every other King of Hell has also been long gone. Moreover, the jailers or wardens who used to judge souls for their sins are now idly drifting in a void of emptiness without purpose. This place is no different from a desolate desert.]
“Hmm!”
[ Hell exists, but there is no judge. Without a judge, the jailers and wardens have nothing to do. This implies that the Underworld has already lost that function.]
“… Then what about the souls of the deceased…”
[ To find the whereabouts of the souls is why I came to the innermost parts of the Underworld.]
Mangnyang’s words continued,
[ And while traveling through the Underworld searching for the whereabouts of the souls, as I entered this room of the Mirror of the Underworld, I was able to understand everything.]
“What happened?”
[ All souls are swallowed into an unknown dimension corridor after passing through the Underworld. Like a drain, not even a handful of souls can escape, and they sink into a quagmire of chaos.]
“What do you mean by quagmire…”
[ Simply put, it’s the belly of the [Old Ruler]. I don’t know whose it is, but…]
“……”
Both I and Seo Mun-hye, who was listening nearby, turned pale.
It was a general perception among humans that at least souls would be judged based on their good and evil and could possibly be reincarnated. Some religions even spoke of a god taking one to a peaceful millennium kingdom, but in whichever case, there was supposed to be a process of judgement on good and evil.
But— the actual truth was that there was nothing of the sort.
It means that once dead, you would head straight into the belly of the [Old Ruler]!
Living Hell!
That was the only word that kept echoing in my mind. At that moment, the words of the Zhuge Clan rang in my head.
[ I have no lingering attachment to the Underworld or salvation. I fear death because I do not know what comes after it. But I have learned enough and despise the artificial salvation from the Celestial Realm. It is merely narcissism.]
[ Both I and my brother and sister… The entire Zhuge family… How much have we been manipulated by the hypocrisy of the Celestial Realm?]
And the previous discourse with Mangnyang also flickered across my mind.
[ Fang Xuanling was a person from a thousand years ago, and Dian Wei was almost fourteen hundred years ago. According to the principles of reincarnation spoken in Buddhism, shouldn’t they have gone to the afterlife and been reborn as new beings?]
[ Hmm… What I can explain is complicated, but I’ll just say this: one thing about your question is wrong.]
[ The afterlife and the Underworld are not the same. They are distinctly different.]
[ It means all humans in this world cannot escape from the grasp of God even after death…]
Artificial salvation provided by the Celestial Realm.
To not be free from God.
After reciting that in my mind, I said to Mangnyang,
“You and… the Zhuge Clan. And perhaps Zhuge Yulong. The people of the Zhuge family had already roughly inferred that truth for quite some time.”
[ Correct. Zhuge Yulong would have naturally learned about the hidden aspects of the world, and my uncle discovered it through his encounters with the Demon Path. I overheard while studying with my master.]
“However, you have never explained this to me during our lives in this reincarnation. Why are you telling me this only now?”
[ Because without factual confirmation, conjectures are merely hypotheses. Approaching the Underworld with preconceived notions and wrong information could lead to dire consequences, no matter how careful you are. Considering you are a reborn person, I didn’t want to make unfounded assumptions. If it weren’t, your previous life could be at great risk.]
“Hmmm.”
That made sense.
While I nodded, Mangnyang continued,
[ And now I have come directly to the Underworld to confirm the facts. The afterlife in this world has truly become a living hell where the reincarnation system has disappeared, and the Underworld has long lost its function.]
“… But if it’s really a living hell, then what about the new humans being born in this world?”
I felt confused and bewildered.
“Humans are still being born somewhere in the Central Plains as we speak. If it is true that souls are being consumed in the belly of the [Old Ruler], shouldn’t the number of souls continuously decrease?”
[ That is due to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.]
“Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?”
[ They have established an armistice with the [Old Rulers] and are bestowing powerful blessings upon the Eastern World. The powerful blessings created by the eight rulers achieve the [Re-creation of Souls]. At the same time, they are replenishing the essence of souls based on the souls that have disappeared across the entire planet.]
“… So you’re saying the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are creating new souls in the number that have died?”
[ Exactly. And while the Baek (魄) is continuously regenerated by nature, when the new souls are attached to Baek, they come to occupy a place in the womb of the newly born humans.]
“……”
I stood there with my mouth agape and said in a trembling voice,
“Th-That means… The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors have been supplying humans as food to the [Old Ruler] for thousands of years as a price to stop the war?”
[ … Correct. That is the truth of this world.]
Mangnyang closed his eyes.
[ The higher immortals have more or less guessed the truth, yet turned a blind eye, focusing solely on the maintenance of the world. It’s a despairing reality.]
“Uaaaaaah!!”
I screamed and tore at my hair.
It’s too bleak!
‘ No wonder the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors treat humans like bugs!!’
It’s not just a matter of power disparity.
The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the [Old Ruler] have actually been farming humans like livestock for thousands of years!
What, then, happens to all the morals and values of the human world that existed during one’s lifetime?
If in the end, dying means simply becoming a meal for the Evil God, then why live righteously?
The idea that this world tilts toward evil is not an exaggeration; it is a stark and dry reality!
How insignificant and disgusting must humans appear in the eyes of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?
As they casually tossed food like a seed into the mouth of the [Old Ruler]?
Could it be that they treat us as mere playthings who are occasionally sacrificed for a quick snack?
At the same time, I shivered at the overwhelming power of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors over human life, death, and the laws of the universe. Such beings would have no need for human faith.
For them, beings who are the masters of distant science and magic, and kings of the divine, humans are nothing but toys.
Thinking about how this reality is concealed by the Celestial Realm, spreading false information about receiving judgement in the Underworld after death, I even felt it was reasonable. If such truths come to light, all humans would go mad and worship the Evil God with a vicious self. It is a grim truth that cannot be ignored for the sake of civilization’s endurance.
Mangnyang spoke bitterly.
[ It may sound harsh, but Empress Wu Zetian’s choice isn’t entirely bad either. At least she borrowed the power of the Eight Parts of the Divine to save the souls of humans born in her era from becoming mere snacks…]
“Damn… But…”
I wanted to say something, but the words couldn’t leave my mouth.
At that moment, Seo Mun-hye, who was listening beside me, spoke up.
“From now on, Lord Baek Woong will save us. Now that we know the truth, what is the last third reason?”
[ The last reason is to obtain the Mirror of the Underworld.]
“Mirror…?”
Swish.
A mirror, as tall as a person, was summoned beside Mangnyang. It was pitch black and reflected no light, similar to the one Seo Mun-hye had thrown into the lake earlier. Mangnyang caressed the mirror and said,
[ The Mirror of the Underworld is the last relic left by the King of Hell who ruled the Ten Kings of Hell. The head of the Kings of Hell is commonly known as the King of Hell, but that is distorted information; it was the King of Wheel who originally ruled the Underworld. He is a divine being, but his true identity is unknown to the common folk.]
“King of Wheel…”
[ I have… been deeply pondering all this time.]
Mangnyang slowly continued his words.
[ I often felt self-reproach, wondering if there was anything of value I could offer to our side in martial arts or sorcery, while continuously contemplating what I could do. During that time, the thought struck me that what I could do was to see the bigger picture and help steer your path, leading me to seek counsel from my master.]
“From Master Mangnyang?”
[ And my master instructed me to go to the Underworld and obtain the Mirror of the King of Wheel, the last treasure. It is a very ancient artifact… one crafted during a time when humans had not yet lost that power, and the Underworld was functioning properly.]
“What on earth is that mirror?”
Mangnyang replied,
[ I will show you the power of this mirror.]
Baam!!
In the next moment, a light erupted from the silver-colored lake, and I suddenly felt memories pouring into me. Information I couldn’t discern from Seo Mun-hye’s perspective, the vivid emotions felt by my companions during the decisive battle, even deep subconscious states were passed on to me!
In an instant, I gained the knowledge as if I were observing the events following the Divine City competition from an omniscient viewpoint. With this, I felt I had filled in many gaps from the last five years, leaving me quite astonished.
“This, what is this?”
[ The Mirror can communicate with any existing entity and look into their innermost thoughts, seeing everything anywhere. Moreover, the Kings of Hell borrowed this Mirror from the King of Wheel to judge sinners. Since I have become the owner of this Mirror, I can absorb information and retransmit it.]
“……!!”
Could this be like the ‘Mirror of Crimes’ that commonly appears in myths about the Underworld?
If so, then Master Mangnyang has literally become the owner of a mythical treasure!
And as I received the memories, I became aware of Master Mangnyang’s situation and said,
“Master Mangnyang, I will go rescue you right away.”
Mangnyang is not in a good condition right now.
He had somehow infiltrated the Underworld and was holed up in the innermost part of the Underworld, with the doors to the room of the Mirror of the Underworld locked tight while hostile forces surrounded him. They could break down the door any moment, and when they do, Mangnyang would be ruthlessly killed by the demons and judged for eternity.
But Mangnyang smiled softly and said,
[ No need for that. Thanks to your timely return, I have at least two years before anything happens. In that time, I will use the Mirror to support you from the rear. I will store your memories and lend aid when necessary.]
“……”
[ You should also be aware that my uncle is temporarily sheltering in the Underworld. He is currently in a state of damage to his spirit body, but he hasn’t died. Once he wakes up, he will let you know.]
That’s right.
The Zhuge Sect also entered the room of the Mirror, but he had already depleted a lot of his energy, and the moment he arrived in the Mirror’s room, he fell into a semi-conscious state, barely clinging to life. Still, Zhuge was likely to have deemed it safer to go to the Mirror’s room than stay in the earthly realm.
“I will definitely go rescue them.”
While he may be safe for now, I have to urgently find a way to rescue both advisors. If not, the door will eventually be broken down, and both will perish, with Zhuge’s spirit ending up as spoils for the Demon King, enduring the horrors of living hell.
Mangnyang said,
[ First and foremost, considering your current situation, there is one clear course of action.]
“What is it?”
I sensed that a more arduous journey awaited me with Mangnyang’s next words.
[ Go to the Moon. There should be Cheon Woo-jin the Priest waiting there; he will possess the power to resolve the issues with Cheon Gong-pyo.]